I've made no secret of the fact that I have *not* enjoyed being pregnant. This, despite the fact that I have been blessed with a (so far) healthy and low-key pregnancy. Mostly, I'm just a big whiner. Growing a human, it turns out, is not one of my favourite past-times but sadly it takes rather a long time - so I've learnt a few tips and tricks along the way to make it a bit more bearable.

Take a Lot of Baths

This is tip number one, for sure. Baths are relaxing and lovely at the best of times, but even more so when you're pregnant. It's a chance to take the weight off, quite literally, and feel comfortable. Plus, it's a relatively effective method for easing the minor aches and pains that you pick up on the daily when living the pregnant life. I've stocked up on a whole bunch of romance novels for light bath time reading (no complex plots or distressingly sad endings!) and was happily gifted a load of Lush bath bombs for Christmas and my birthday, so they've been keeping me going for the most part. Pro-tip: take a bar of chocolate or other favourite snack into the bath - it's about as decadent as life gets when you're pregnant. My only other 'beauty' tip - invest in some Palmer's Cocoa Butter for your bump. I don't know whether it's actually contributed to my total lack of stretch marks, or whether that's just luck, but it smells lovely and feels very luxurious to give yourself some fancy daily moisturising.

Buy a Pregnancy Pillow

Having a pregnancy pillow has been an absolute life saver for me; I've actually been sleeping relatively well since I started to use it properly, which has made everything else seem a little bit rosier. I have this one, which also handily goes with my bedroom decor.

Nap As Often As You Can

I have never been a big napper, but whilst pregnant I have learnt to let go of my guilt around napping and fully embraced having one or two extra little sleeps a day. In my first trimester, this was absolutely essential in order to survive to the end of the day, and that feeling is looping round again now as I near my due date, but even when I was feeling a bit perkier, it's been a great way to feel a little bit more human and capable. Plus, everyone tells you to sleep whilst you can, and although I'm not sure you can 'bank' sleep, it's better not to go into your new adventure totally exhausted, if at all possible.

Try Not to Overload Your Social Calendar

This is a case of 'do as I say, not as I do' if ever I saw one. At the beginning, we had something on every weekend (including hosting almost 20 people for Friendsgiving...), which was very poor planning on my part as having no time to rest and recuperate led to me getting super sick over Christmas with a lovely combination of 'morning sickness' (which was more like all-day-nausea) and a two-week-long cold. And then we've just had another run of busy weekends as everyone ramps up their social events again for summer - which is lovely, but also very tiring.

Surrender to Flat Shoes

For a short-arse like me, this totally sucks. But my back and my hips thank me for it if I opt for trainers over boots, so I've been living in my Converse. Bonus: they're basically slip-on, which is very handy now that there's a baby in the way of me bending down to tie my laces. I've also just invested in a pair of TOMS sandals on the recommendation of a friend, and they're maybe the best sandals I've ever owned (plus, they're on sale right now...). They don't rub, even though my feet are, ahem, larger than usual at the moment and they have a squidgy base so they're super comfortable.

H&M Do the Best Maternity Wear

Dressing for pregnancy is the biggest challenge (you know, other than the whole 'growing a human' thing) and finding clothes that make you feel like yourself can make all the difference to how you feel, as shallow as that may seem. Having tested quite a few of the high street brands, it's H&M that have led the way for me; my wardrobe is mostly made of basics anyway and H&M have a good collection which isn't too pricey (given that you'll only be wearing these clothes for a short period of time). However, there are a couple of exceptions to that rule - New Look Petite maternity jeans are the only ones I've found that fit the length of my legs and don't end up falling down after twenty minutes of wear (so if you're also 5'0", this might be relevant to your interests) and I have loved the two dresses that I picked up from the Seraphine sale for special occasions.

Go To Some Classes & Do Your Research

I know that people have mixed feelings about NCT classes, but we had a wholly positive experience with ours (even if my squeamish self did have to leave the room for some of the more graphic descriptions of labour...). I feel a lot more calm and confident about what's coming up as a result, and it's been a great jumping off point for doing our own research. I'd already read a few books and done some general investigating before the classes, but having someone with some qualifications confirm what I thought I knew was really invaluable. I think the classes were particularly good for Paul, too, as there was an equal focus on what birth partners can be doing to support and prepare, which has helped him feel a lot happier with the whole process. Plus, we made some nice parent pals to hang out with on maternity leave, so that's a positive, too! Knowledge is power, my friends - but be careful where you get your information as it's very easy to fall into a forum or two where misinformation is rife... I've freaked myself out on more than one occasion doing that!

Feel All Your Feelings Without Guilt

I have been wholly honest on this blog and on my social media channels (mostly Instagram) about the ups and downs I've experienced during pregnancy. As someone who is generally pretty positive and who considers herself very 'blessed' (ugh, I know), it's been tricky for me to feel so down so much of the time, especially when pregnancy is supposed to be the harbinger of joy rather than sorrow. At times, I have felt really terrible about it and as if I'm already a terrible mother simply for wishing for one damn minute I could not be pregnant, but, ultimately, my feelings are my feelings and there's no point feeling guilty about them. (Phew, that's a lot of feelings in one sentence!). There have equally been moments of pure joy and happiness, so it's all swings and roundabouts (especially due to those pesky hormones), so don't beat yourself up (and don't let anyone else do the metaphorical beating, either).

Let People Be Nice To You

Oh god, do I struggle with this one. When you are pregnant - and especially when you are visibly very pregnant - everyone will go out of their way to be nice to you. You will have the same conversations about names, due dates and sex of your baby multiple times a day with strangers. And it's not just strangers - friends and family will buy you presents, travel for your baby shower and insist that you take a damn seat rather than running around doing things. At times this is particularly difficult; it can feel like you're a bit useless, which is rather frustrating. But, let people be nice to you and revel in having drinks brought to you and chores taken off your hands. You're growing a baby - you deserve a little rest and relaxation!

Do you have any tips to add? I've still got a few weeks left, so there's still time... (!)

Hello!

I live in Leeds with my husband, Paul, our son, Benjamin, and our cat, Tuna Fey.

This blog is a little snapshot of my life, just as it is right now. It's a collection of many things; from motherhood and family to recipes, crafts, books and interiors.

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